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Microenterprise Network Conference Earns Kudos!

3/20/2013

Speakers on innovations in micro development and micro lending kept over 125 attendees highly engaged and motivated during the Virginia Microenterprise Network’s (VMN) recent conference. Held February 25th and 26th at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, the meeting featured a keynote presentation by author Michael Shuman who is currently a Fellow at Cutting Edge Capital. Andrew Verstein from the Yale Law School spoke on crowd funding and other aspects of the JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) Act.

Teri Lovelace, VCC’s Vice President of Corporate Development, participated on a panel about B Corporations and offered this reflection on the event: “As America’s entrepreneurs begin to explore and take full advantage of new vehicles for community development and funding, VCC is fully engaged in the broad range of tools available to advance small businesses and communities. We have been investing resources and energy in community renewal for years and job creation is a critical component of our work. The opportunity to convene with participants and national leaders on these innovative topics was profoundly enlightening.”

Michael Shuman,
Keynote Speaker

Others in attendance agree. Josh Sheldon, Executive Director of United Virginia, wrote in appreciation: “We thought the VMN conference was excellent this year! The speakers were fantastic, and it was hugely beneficial to be able to learn from them and connect with other folks active in Micro-business in Virginia. I'm impressed at how the conference has continued to grow; it really is the best forum for the micro-business community in Virginia to come together.”

Hebah Fisher, Co-Founder and Program Director for Community Investment Collaborative (CIC) in Charlottesville, offered the following: Thank you so much for your planning of the VMN Conference last week! It was fantastic. What an excellent opportunity to meet new practitioners, strengthen old relationships, and learn from each other. I especially enjoyed the two keynotes: Michael Shuman was awesome (we plan now to frame the argument for microenterprise in the larger context of the impact of local business on communities, pulling from his research), and Andrew Verstein managed to make complicated legal-speak entertaining and informative (I scribbled full pages of notes about crowdfunding).This is what VMN is about. Thank you!!”

VCC Loan Officer Shaun Rai contributed to a session on underwriting best practices. Caroline Nowery, VCC Advisory Services Manager, served on the event planning committee and also facilitated on the B Corp panel discussion.

This event was the result of a planning partnership with the Virginia Microenterprise Network, Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, Empowered Women International, Virginia Community Capital, and On Point Services.

, served on the event planning committee and also facilitated on the B Corp panel discussion.

This event was the result of a planning partnership with the Virginia Microenterprise Network, Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, Empowered Women International, Virginia Community Capital, and On Point Services.

About Virginia Community Capital:

With offices in Christiansburg, Richmond, and Springfield, Virginia Community Capital (VCC) is dedicated to the prospect of building wealth for all through our lending, deposits, and advisory services. As a community development financial institution (CDFI), our mission is to offer innovative, flexible financial products designed to support housing and community development ventures, increase jobs, and encourage sustainable communities. In partnership with our for-profit bank, Community Capital Bank of Virginia (CCB), the non-profit VCC offers loan capital broader and more flexible than bank lending in low-to-moderate income communities in underserved geographies and markets. Learn more at vacommunitycapital.org.